Private Dining Rooms

Overview

Brown’s Hotel is home to six unique private dining rooms, which can accommodate up to 72 guests for a seated lunch or dinner or up to 120 people for a cocktail reception.

Each room is named after a famous past guest from the Roosevelt Room, where Theodore Roosevelt stayed on his honeymoon, to the Graham Bell Room, which is decorated with telephone illustrations in homage to Alexander Graham Bell who made the first ever telephone call in the UK from the hotel.

Each of these rooms have been elegantly decorated and boast an abundance of natural daylight, high ceilings, beautiful antiques and air-conditioning, providing the ideal venue for lavish celebrations; high-profile business meetings to press events.

Mark Hix and Marcus Verberne offer a range of exciting menus, using local seasonal ingredients and the hotel’s sommelier has carefully compiled a list of over 50 wines and Champagnes which can be paired with your menu.

Every event is tailor-made to the host’s specific requirements with special attention being given to the small details that make a difference.  

Brown’s is also home to 117 luxurious rooms and suites, award-winning restaurants, a fashionable bar and relaxing spa.

Insider View

The first wedding reception I ever attended was in the private rooms at Browns. I was barely six but I still remember my mother’s excitement at the prospect of going to such an iconic venue and how beautiful the rooms were. You don’t go to Browns for cutting edge-modern, you go for its legendary timeless elegance and refined understated luxury.

Under its current owner, RF hotels, it has undergone a sensitive restoration of all its original features but the private dining rooms also have all the mod-cons. They’re just not hidden in the walls like more modern builds, after all, the walls are part of its charm, and dating back to 1837. Mark Hix as chef director oversees the restaurant as well as all the private dining, providing great British food throughout the hotel.

There are six private dining rooms in total – my wedding experience was in the two first floor rooms: The Roosevelt and Niagara, which have interconnecting for larger events. The ornamental ceiling is stunning with light flooding in from the floor to ceiling sash windows. Other original features include the chandeliers, a marble fireplace, ornate mirrors and antique sideboards as well as classical artwork. It’s all offset by pale olive green walls – giving the room a contemporary fresh feel without being trendy.

The four further private rooms are on the ground floor. The Clarendon, seating up to 70, is the home of the Grillion Club, which still meets in the room and has its light mushroom-coloured walls adorned with former members in gold frames. The intricate chandeliers are so delicate they can only sustain subtle light, but the two large sash windows and wall lighting provide plenty of light for conferences and lunches during the day, while creating the perfect cosy ambience for dinners. 

The Lord Byron and Graham Bell are smaller interconnecting rooms seating 12 for dinner or 30 standing. The Lord Byron has the most modern feel of the private rooms – like a dining room one might find in Harpers. Its black glass chandelier ties in with the black, cream and gold climbing flower wall paper. The sand coloured flecked chairs and brown Roman blinds subtly complement the wooden fireplace and striking gold rimmed mirror.

The Graham Bell, with its marble fireplace is dedicated to the great inventor, who made his first ever telephone call from that very room. The size means it is the perfect space for a small private dinner or pre-dinner drinks, with dinner following in the Lord Byron. Both have adjustable lighting to suit all occasions, be they work-based, friend-related or romantic.

Finally the St George’s private room seats eight and is also suited to board meetings, brain-stormings or intimate dinners. The balancing of modern with traditional is hard to pull off, but at Browns the effect is that it feels cosy and well loved, as if you’ve been coming all your life or it’s part of a luxury home, making it the perfect place to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and of course weddings.

All the rooms are either subject to a room hire charge or minimum spend depending on the party size and date.

Lee Streeton

How long have you been at the restaurant?

First time round I was here 2 ½ years and now I’m back and loving it - I plan to stay a lot longer second time around!

Which was the first restaurant you worked in?

The Crown Inn which was a very busy pub restaurant.  I was 13 years old and it was a great insight - I still remember the chef, Carl Smith - he was mad and taught me about food!

What was the last London restaurant you went to, apart from your own?

My mate just opened a Sri Lankan restaurant in Kilburn - lovely mutton curry and his pickled red onion and lady finger salad is great

What or who has been the biggest influence on the way you cook and why?

Chefs always get asked this question and there is always a couple chefs who influence you.

Mark Hix for his knowledge, passion and completely relaxed approach to cooking.

Neil O’ Brian for very much the same and the friend ship we have – I am also God-father to his 2 daughters. 

Tim Hughes who is the opposite - he is direct, forceful and waits for no man, he is wonderful and I relished the services we had. There are a few chefs if reading who will remember those long hard services that always ended with a thank you from Tim 

What is your personal signature dish?

I don’t have one – nobody can reinvent the wheel

Which other chef's) do you most admire?

Paul Brown and Damian Clisby are both very dear friends of mine.  We get together and have a cook up, which will always turn into a boozy night with the poor wives watching grown men argue over potatoes! Sad but true!

I love to go to their restaurants as we always put a spread on for eachother. That is one of the great things about being a chef

What’s the best part of your job?

Friends, eating, working, meeting new people - it’s a peoples persons job.  I’m very lucky to have met and to continue to meet great people and get to cook for them.

Sometimes I feel I should pay the customer as I’m usually having the most fun!

And the worst?

When you have hard nights and things are not going your way.

What would your last meal be?

Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding followed by apple and blackberry crumble with custard, followed by cheeses (Stilton)

Do you have a chef’s shortcut that you can share with us?

Yes-  I catch the bus at 6.20am otherwise I have to walk from my house which then gets me to work at 7.20am instead of 7.00am.  Early bird catches the worm!